Love Remains
by melinda08
Summary: After Adam's funeral, Phyllis comforts Nick and Nikki comforts Victor...they both wonder how they can get through to the men that they love in the wake of Adam's destruction.


Nick and Phyllis collapsed on the couch, still dressed in black. It was the day of Adam's funeral, and no one could speak. Phyllis leaned in against her husband, seemingly for support but in reality to let him know that she was there for him. For a while no words needed to be said. How could you say the unspeakable- that a man was dead and you were glad he was? Did that make you a monster? How did you deal with those feelings? This man had destroyed the lives of everyone he came in contact with, but did he deserve to die? Was justice served? These questions loomed large over the lives of the Newmans, and no one could bring themselves to talk about them.

The redhead looked at her husband adoringly. How he had managed to make it through this dark day, she didn't know. He watched them bury the man who had stolen the great portion of his daughter's life from him. This man let him believe that Nick's baby was dead….all those feelings of grief and sadness had overwhelmed him. They had torn his life apart and he had to go through the healing process, one that no parent should ever have to go through. The cruel part was that that wasn't the first time Nick had lost a child. Adam knew that, and he had done that to him anyways. And yet here was Nick, her rock, holding her hand. He was a better man than she deserved, and she knew it. It was no wonder she dreamed of waking up every day to find him gone. She couldn't think like that. Phyllis had to believe in their love, or she would go crazy.

Did Adam know how many lives he had torn apart, or did he care? Was he a true psychopath with no conscience, the most likely scenario? But the question that Phyllis found herself pondering was- did he deserve to die? She wanted justice to be served, but through the right channels. So many people were hurt by his actions, and so many people wanted him dead, including her own husband. She would do whatever it took to protect him. Lying, cheating, whatever it took. Her husband would not go down for the murder of Adam Wilson.

She wanted to ask him the question that she was most afraid of- did he do it? Of all the people suspected of it, Nick had the most reason to do it. She couldn't blame him if he did. Once upon a time she herself was capable of murder to protect her family. But Nick had too much to lose to do it, couldn't he see that? Suddenly she felt scared, so scared that she would lose her husband. Not just to Sharon, but to himself. And she couldn't fight that.

Phyllis took her husband by the cheeks and looked him in the eyes. "I love you and no matter what happens Summer and I will be here for you. For always. I will never leave you. I will be your rock. You can count on me. If everything else falls apart you will always have me."

Nick didn't say anything, but he fell into her waiting arms and drifted into a deep sleep, the deepest one he would have in a long time.

00000

Victor and Nikki were lying in bed, after the funeral. Victor hadn't said much, and Nikki was worried. She wished he were angry, sad, hurt, anything. Let it out, come to me, she prayed. She would give anything if he would just come to her. He was burying more than a son; he was burying his daughter in a sense. After what Adam had done, Victor was letting go of the daughter he had raised as his own, for she was now his granddaughter rather than his daughter. He still loved her, of course, but to lose a child is still a powerful loss. Victor didn't talk about it. He was being so strong and focusing on Ashley's loss and dealing with Adam. He was concentrating on helping Nick and Sharon adjust to the new baby.

But Nikki knew her loved one must be grieving over losing his child. People said that Victor Newman was a cold hearted man; she'd even said that many times. But one thing he loved was his family. He loved his children more than anything in the world. To be a father one minute and then not ….that had to devastate him, though he would never show it. Nikki wished he would talk about it, but that wasn't his way. He would go on with the business of life, taking care of her, taking care of business, settling scores. But she would be watching. There would be a crack in his armor, and she would be there to repair it.

And he was mourning the loss of Adam. Nikki knew he must be torturing himself with questions. Where did he go wrong, what could he have done differently, how did he bring a child like that into the world. Victor rarely takes his failures personally but with his children, he does. This would wound him deeply. This could push Victor back to a place where Nikki couldn't reach him. But she loved this man for most of his life, he was the greatest love she had ever known. And she would trust in it to see this on through. She wouldn't leave now, not when Victor needed him the most.

She pulled him close and began to kiss him. Injured, wounded, confused, Victor responded to her kisses and the two made love. They didn't talk about the events of the day, but they didn't have to. They communicated all of the hurt, the pain, the fears…and Nikki was right by his side to hear him out. She was there for him, and she always would be. Adam was gone and love was what remained.


End file.
